We should all remember to love each other year-round

Published: Friday, February 8, 2013 at 02:55 PM.

Now is the time to love and encourage each other. Let’s all celebrate our heritage — and not just in February! The color of our skin should be irrelevant! When I was a child, I sang a song with my grandma that included the phrase, “red and yellow, black and white — we are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

Sadly, we often learn to not love those who are different from us. Some even hate those who vote for another party, go to another church, live in another country, or have a different color of skin. Now which one of us chose the color of our skin? How does one shade make us better people than anyone else? Why do we hate instead of love? It makes no sense to just remember to love in February. What about the rest of the year?

When I taught second, third and fourth grades, we always celebrated our heritage as Americans. We have so much to be thankful for to live in a country where we are free to think, speak, and write our opinion to the newspaper.

The Times-News even lets me write about my faith, in spite of our schools taking God out of the classroom. We want our children protected, but we’ve told God He’s not welcome. Does that make sense? God will protect them better than anyone else.

As a teacher, I prayed out loud every day before some started to protest. Our courts and government soon said we shouldn’t chance offending anyone by expressing our own beliefs and feelings. Gradually, they won and now many schools say we can’t even take time to pray silently in our hearts. Does that make sense?

It’s February 2013. It’s time to love and encourage each other, as we celebrate our heritage and freedom as Americans. Our ancestors came to our great country one way or another. Whether by choice or by force, all of our forebears made sacrifices to gain freedom. And many of our fellow countrymen, even today, continue to struggle for freedom. I think specifically those who struggle to find employment and freedom from want.

It is always time to pray and praise God for our blessings and His love. Now is the time to love, celebrate, encourage others, and be thankful. You are loved.

Now is the time to love and encourage each other. Let’s all celebrate our heritage — and not just in February! The color of our skin should be irrelevant! When I was a child, I sang a song with my grandma that included the phrase, “red and yellow, black and white — we are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

Sadly, we often learn to not love those who are different from us. Some even hate those who vote for another party, go to another church, live in another country, or have a different color of skin. Now which one of us chose the color of our skin? How does one shade make us better people than anyone else? Why do we hate instead of love? It makes no sense to just remember to love in February. What about the rest of the year?

When I taught second, third and fourth grades, we always celebrated our heritage as Americans. We have so much to be thankful for to live in a country where we are free to think, speak, and write our opinion to the newspaper.

The Times-News even lets me write about my faith, in spite of our schools taking God out of the classroom. We want our children protected, but we’ve told God He’s not welcome. Does that make sense? God will protect them better than anyone else.

As a teacher, I prayed out loud every day before some started to protest. Our courts and government soon said we shouldn’t chance offending anyone by expressing our own beliefs and feelings. Gradually, they won and now many schools say we can’t even take time to pray silently in our hearts. Does that make sense?

It’s February 2013. It’s time to love and encourage each other, as we celebrate our heritage and freedom as Americans. Our ancestors came to our great country one way or another. Whether by choice or by force, all of our forebears made sacrifices to gain freedom. And many of our fellow countrymen, even today, continue to struggle for freedom. I think specifically those who struggle to find employment and freedom from want.

It is always time to pray and praise God for our blessings and His love. Now is the time to love, celebrate, encourage others, and be thankful. You are loved.